Semi-automatic ice maker



United States Patent 3,226,937 SEMI-AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER Robert W. Conifer, Deerfield, and Howard L. Erickson, Bensenville, Ill., assignors to The Dole Valve Company, Morton Grove, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 11, 1964, Ser. No. 366,232 8 Claims. (Cl. 62157) This invention relates to ice cube making apparatus and more particularly relates to semi-automatic apparatus for making and for storing ice cubes in a refrigerator.

Generally, household refrigerators are provided with a low temperature zone to accommodate the making of ice cubes. Some of the later models incorporate a separate freezer compartment in the refrigerator cabinet, isolated from the remainder of the cabinet, which is maintained at a lower temperature and which is provided with apparatus for making and, in some instances, for storing ice cubes.

The present invention relates to a semi-automatic arrangement for making ice cubes which embodies certain advantageous features which renders the arrangement simple in design and construction, inexpensive in manufacture, easy to operate and accurate in the size of the ice cubes produced thereby.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide semiautomatic apparatus for making ice cubes in a low temperature zone as provided, for example, in a household refrigerator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for making ice cubes which is relatively simple in design and in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide mechanism for making ice cubes of a predetermined size in a low temperature zone wherein the humidity conditions of the zone are subject to change.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front sectional view of a household refrigerator incorporating a freezer compartment and provided with an arrangement for the semiautomatic making of ice cubes and embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the refrigerator of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along lines II-.-II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are schematic wiring diagrams of other embodiments of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of an exemplary flow control valve which finds utility in the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view of an illustrative slug valve which also finds utility in the invention.

. As shown in the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of utility in any apparatus incorporating mechanism for the manufacture of ice cubes, one particularly useful application is made to household appliances utilized in storing goods in a low ambient temperature and an illustrative embodiment herein shown consists of a refrigerator indicated generally at 10 in FIGURES l and 2 incorporating a low temperature zone such as a separate freezer compartment indicated generally at 11.

3,226,937 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 The refrigerator 10 is more particularly characterized as comprising a cabinet 12 having a top wall 13, a pair of side walls 14 and 16 and an inner wall 17 which separates the low temperature freezer zone 11 from a more temperate zone 18 which is maintained generally at a temperature above the freezing point of water.

The freezer compartment 11 may be constructed of sufficient size to accommodate the ice making apparatus of the present invention and to store a quantity of frozen foodstuffs. Furthermore, the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to a freezer appliance wherein the entire interior of the cabinet is maintained at a low temperature condition.

The low temperature zone 11 and the moderate temperate zone 18 are enclosed respectively by a pair of doors 19 and 20 which are each carried or mounted on the cabinet 12 by suitable means, such as a pair of hinges as shown at 21, for movement to an open position, to provide openings into the zones or compartments, and for movement to a closed position for thermally insulating the compartments.

Generally, the ice cube making apparatus of the present invention comprises an ice cube tray 22 fixedly mounted by means of a pair of tray flanges 23 to an ice cube support mechanism which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a rod or shaft 24 mounted for rotation on a pair of fixed bearing blocks as at 26. Suitable means, such as a pair of stops (not shown) carried on the bearings 26 are provided to enable the shaft 24 to be rotated approximately such that the tray 22 can be manually pivoted alternatively between an upright or fill position, as indicated at reference numeral 22 in the drawings, to an inverted or discharge position as indicated by the broken lines at reference numeral 27.

The tray 22 is preferably of the type which incorporates means for releasing the frozen ice cubes therefrom. One example of such a tray comprises a tray body made of resilient plastic material wherein the tray body and cube dividers can be deformed sufficiently through twisting of the tray to release the cubes therefrom. Another example includes rigid cube dividers connected for .movement relative to the tray body by means of a pivotal lever arm. Other types of trays adapted to release and discharge the cubes therefrom when in an inverted position are known in the art. A basket for receiving and storing the cubes is shown at reference numeral 25. t

In order to fill the tray 22 with water, an electrically operated water valve 28 is connected to a water line 29 and is situated with respect to the fill position of the tray such that a nozzle portion 30 thereof which actually delivers the water to the tray will not interfere with the tray as the tray is moved from its fill position at 22 to its discharge position at 27.

It will be appreciated that although the water valve 28 is illustrated as being disposed within the freezer or compartment 11 in FIGURES 1 and 2, the valve 28 and the water line 29 may preferably be situated outside of the freezer zone with the nozzle portion 30 protruding through the freezer compartment wall, FIGURES 1 and 2 being illustrative merely of the general relative disposition of the parts.

In order to energize the valve 28 to supply apredetermined quantity of water at a predetermined position of the tray 22, a power supply switch means assembly 31 is operatively connected to the tray 22 and is actuated in response to movement of the tray between its fill and discharge positions.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the switch assembly 31 is carried by and operatively connected to the tray support shaft 24 and is operatively connected to the shaft to be actuated thereby as the shaft 3 rotates inpivoting the tray 22 from one of its positions to the other.

Referring to FIGURE 3, wherein one exemplary embodiment of the water supply mechanism of the invention is shown for illustrative purposes only, the switch means assembly 31 comprises a normally-open electric switch 32 connected to suitable electric circuitry comprising electric conductors 33 and 34 which terminate at contact members 36 and 37 which are, in turn, connected to a suitable source of electric power.

Connected in series with the switch 32 is an electrically operated water valve 28a of the off-on type incorporating a solenoid valve 38 operative to open the valve 28a when the solenoid is energized, and to close the valve when the solenoid is deenergized. In order to supply a predetermined quantity of Water from the valve during a given interval of time during which the valve is open, regardless of minor changes in water pressure in the water line to which the valve is connected, a flow control member 39 is mounted in an outlet nozzle 30a of the valve to ensure a given rate of flow from the valve regardless of minor pressure variations.

In order to energize the valve 23a for a predetermined time period to fill the tray 22 with a given amount of water, the switch 32 is connected by any suitable linkage means, such as an arm member as indicated schematically at 35, to a timer device 45. In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the timer 45 is of the spring operated (mechanically wound) type and is connected in turn, by means of a mechanical linkage indicated schematically at 40, to the tray support shaft 24 (FIGURES 1 and 2) and is operative to be wound and to contemporaneously close the switch 32 as the tray 22 is pivoted from one of its positions to the other.

For example, the timer 45 may be arranged such that after the tray has been inverted to its discharge position and the ice cubes removed therefrom, the timer is wound as the tray is manually pivoted back from its discharge position (as indicated at reference numeral 27 in FIG- URE Z) to its fill position (as indicated at reference numeral 22 in FIGURE 2), and closes the switch 32 just as the tray reaches its fill position, thereby opening the water valve 28a. The timer will then begin to unwind, and after a predetermined time interval will serve to open the switch 32, thereby deenergizing the solenoid valve 38 and closing the water valve 28a.

It will be readily apparent that the movable parts, such as the timer 45 and the switch 32 may preferably be mounted outside of the freezer compartment 11 by merely extending the shaft 24 (or other operatively conne'cted linkage means) through the wall of the freezer compartment.

One of the features of the water supply mechanism of the invention resides in its lack of dependency on the weight of the tray in controlling the shut-off time of the valve, thereby precluding inaccurate measures of water as the result of increased weight of the tray due to ice freeze-up thereon, particularly as the humidity conditions of the air within the freezer compartment make the occurrence of such freeze-up more pronounced.

In another variation of the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the spring operated mechanical timer 45 may be adapted to wind as the tray is moved from its fill position to its inverted or discharge position. In such event, the timer is preferably precluded from unwinding until the tray has again attained its fill position.

For that purpose, an electrically operated timer brake solenoid 41 is illustrated as being operatively connected to the timer by suitable linkage means as indicated schematically at 42 and is adapted to prevent unwinding of the timer when the timer brake solenoid 41 is energized.

In order to operate the solenoid 41, a conductor 43 connects the solenoid in parallel with the water valve 28a. interconnecting the conductor 43 and the conductor 33 is a manually operated normally-closed double pole switch 44 which is actuated in response to the position of the freezer door 19 and which comprises an actuator member 46 (FIGURE 1) mounted on the cabinet 12 and engageable with the door 19 when the door is in a closed position.

When the freezer door 19 is in an open position, the switch 44 interrupts the power supply to the water valve 28a, and moves to a position represented by the broken line at 44a in FIGURE 3 to energize the timer brake solenoid 41. Thereafter, when the tray 22 has been inverted to its discharge position, thereby winding the timer and closing the switch 32, the timer is prevented from unwinding by the timer brake solenoid 41 until the freezer door 19 has moved to its closed position, thereby deenergizing the timer brake solenoid 41 and energizing the water valve 28 until, after a predetermined interval of time has elapsed, the timer 45 unwinds and opens the switch 32.

The embodiment of FIGURE 4, wherein like parts are identified by like reference numerals, is similar to that of FIGURE 3, except that a switch 47 which interconnects conductors 33 and 43 is of the single pole type and is operatively connected by means of suitable linkage means indicated at 48 to the tray support shaft 24. The switch 47 is adapted to close and to energize the timer brake solenoid 41 when the tray is moved to its discharge position, such tray movement additionally being effective to wind the timer 45 and to close the timer switch 32. When the tray is again moved to its fill position, the switch 47 is opened to deenergize the brake solenoid 41, thereby allowing the timer 45 to unwind. It will be noted that the energization and deenergization of the switch 47 is not dependent upon the position of the freezer door 1%.

The embodiment of FIGURE 5 employs an electrically operated timer 49 incorporating a normally open timer switch 320: connected in series with the water valve 28a, and connected by suitable linkage means 35a to the tray support shaft 24.

The timer 49 is operated by means of an electric timer motor 50 connected in parallel with the water valve 23a between the switch 32a and the valve 28a.

The switch 32a may be arranged with respect to the tray 22 such as to be moved to a closed position when the tray is moved from its discharge position to its fill position. The water valve 28a will open when the switch 32:: is closed, and the valve will remain in an open posi tion to fill the tray until the switch 32a is opened by the electric timer motor 50.

Alternatively, the switch 3211 may be arranged such as to close when the tray 22 is moved from its fill position to its discharge position, but in such arrangement, in order to preclude opening of the water valve 28a and operation of the timer motor 50 until the tray has again assumed its fill position, a normally-closed freezer door switch 51 is connected in series with the switch 32a such that the water valve 28a will not be energized to supply water to the tray until the freezer door 51 is closed, and therefore presumably not until the tray 22 has been moved again to its fill position.

It will be appreciated that the timer brake solenoid 41, as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, and the door switch 51 as illustrated in FIGURE 5 can be eliminated in an arrangement whereby the timer switches 32 and 32a, respectively, are closed when the tray 22 is pivoted from its inverted or discharge position to its fill position, rather than vice versa.

Referring to FIGURE 6, another embodiment of the invention comprises an electrically operated slug valve 281) which is adapted to supply a single slug or fixed quantity of water when the valve solenoid is deenergized.

As shown, a normally-open switch 52 is operatively connected by means of a suitable linkage 53 to the tray support shaft 24. In one arrangement, the switch 52 is closed when the tray 22 is moved from its discharge to its fill position, thereby energizing the slug valve 28b to effect delivery of a predetermined quantity of water to the tray. In order to deenergize the slug valve 23b to allow the valve to again be filled with water, a conventional time delay device 54 is utilized to automatically open switch 52 after a predetermined time interval has elapsed.

Alternatively, the switch 52 can be arranged to close when the tray is moved from its fill position to its discharge position, and in such arrangement a normallyclosed door switch 55 is connected in series with switch 52 to preclude energization of the slug valve 28b until the freezer door 19 has been closed, presumably after the tray 22 has been again moved to its fill position.

In all of the illustrated embodiments, the water valves and timer switches can be arranged alternatively to the arrangements illustrated wherein the valves are adapted to open to supply water when deenergized rather than energized. It will be appreciated, however, that such arrangemen-t will generally have the effect of maintaining the electric windings of the solenoid valves in an energized state over prolonged periods of time.

The flow control member 39, which is installed in the nozzles 39a of the on-off water valves of the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 in order to ensure a constant rate of water flow through the valves regardless of water pressure acting thereon, comprises, as illustrated in FIGURE 7, a body member 56 having an enlarged diameter portion 56a and a reduced diameter portion 56b interconnected by means of a transverse wall 57. A bore 58 is formed in the enlarged portion 56a and a bore 59 is formed in the reduced portion 561;, the relative diameters of the bores serving to form a .radially extending shoulder surface at 60.

The direction of water flow through the control member 39 is from the enlarged portion 56a to the reduced portion 56b, and housed within the bore 58 is an annularly shaped ring 61 centrally apertured as at 62 and constituted of deformable resilient material such as rubber.

A substantial portion of one face 63 of the ring 61 is in abutting engagement with the shoulder surface 60, and since the diameter of the aperture 62 is less than that of the bore 59, a portion of the face 63 adjacent the aperture 62 extends radially inwardly of the shoulder surface 60 and is not supported thereby.

During periods when the water pressure in the bore 58 is relatively low, the pressure of the water acting on the ring 61 is not sufficient to deform the ring as the water passes through aperture 62 into the bore 59. However, upon increase of the water pressure in bore 58, that portion of the ring 61 adjacent the aperture 62 will flex and tend to deform into the bore 59, thereby restricting aperture 62 and increasing the pressure drop across the aperture. As a result, as the water pressure in bore 58 increases, the pressure drop through the aperture of the ring increases, thereby providing a substantially constant rate of flow through the valve member 39 regardless of water pressure variations in the bore 58 (and therefore in the water line 29 to FIGURE 1).

The slug valve 2817, as utilized in the embodiment of FIGURE 6, comprises a valve body 64 (FIGURE 8) having formed therein a cylindrical bore 66 with an inlet 67 and an outlet 68 in communication with the bore 66.

The inlet 67 and the outlet 68 are aligned to receive a valve rod 69 having fixedly mounted thereon a pair of rubber washers 7t and 71 disposed respectively exteriorly of the inlet 67 and the outlet 68.

A water line 29b is connected to the inlet 67, and a nozzle 30b is connected to the outlet 68 to supply water through the valve to a tray.

The water line 2% has formed thereon in a wall 72 thereof an embossment '73 having a cylindrical bore formed therein as at 74 to reciprocally slidably receive the rod 69, an end portion 76 thereof extending through the embossment to be received in an electrical solenoid 77. The valve 28b is arranged such that when the windings 78 of the solenoid 77 are deenergized, the rod 69 will move leftwardly as illustrated in FIGURE 8 to close the outlet 68 and open the inlet 67, thereby enabling water to enter the bore 66. The pressure of the water entering the bore acts to urge a pressure plate 79, which is slidably carried within the bore, downwardly against the bias of a coil spring acting oppositely thereon.

Energization of the winding 78 causes the rod 69 to move rightwardly, thereby causing the inlet 67 to be closed and simultaneously opening the outlet 68 to the nozzle 3%. The spring 80 thereupon urges the pressure plate 79 upwardly to discharge a predetermined quantity or slug of water from the valve 28b, through the nozzle 3% and into a tray. It will be appreciated that the volume of the slug of Water can be varied, depending upon the diameter and length of the bore 66, the free state configuration of the spring 80, and other parameters.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a refrigerator having a freezer compartment and a freezer door positionable to open and to close the freezer compartment, apparatus for making ice cubes comprrsing,

an ice cube tray, guide support means mounting said tray and operative to support and to guide said tray for movement between a fill position in said freezer compartment and a discharge position,

water supply means operative to supply water to said tray in the fill position thereof and including an electrically operated water valve adapted for connection to a water line,

electric power supply circuit means connected to said valve,

first switch means in said circuit means and responsive to the position of the freezer door to interrupt said circuit means to said valve when the door is in an open position,

second switch means interconnecting said circuit means and said valve, and

linkage means connected to said second switch means and responsive to movement of said tray on said guide support means to close said second switch means upon movement of said tray from one of said tray positions to the other, and

timer means operatively connected to said linkage means and to said second switch means and responsive to the completion of said circuit means to said valve to open said second switch means after a predetermined time interval upon the completion of said circuit means to said valve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said valve is a fill valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said valve is a slug valve.

4. In a refrigerator having a freezer compartment and a freezer door positionable to open and to close the freezer compartment, apparatus for making ice cubes comprising,

an ice cube tray,

guide support means fixedly mounting said tray and movable to guide movement of said tray between a fill position in said freezer compartment and a discharge position,

water supply means operative to supply water to said tray in the fill position thereof and including an electrically operated water valve adapted for connection to a water line,

electric power supply circuit means connected to said valve,

first switch means in said circuit means and responsive to the position of the freezer door to interrupt said circuit means to said valve when the door is in an open position,

second switch means interconnecting said circuit means and said valve,

linkage means connected to said second switch means and responsive to movement of said guide support means to close said second switch means upon movement of said guide support means in guiding said tray from one of said tray positions to the other, and

timer means operatively connected to said linkage means and to said second switch means and respon sive to the completion of circuit means to said water valve to open said second switch means after a predetermined time interval upon the completion of said circuit means to said valve.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said timer means comprises a spring operated mechanical timer.

6. In a refrigerator having a freezer compartment and a freezer door positionable in an open and in a closed position, apparatus for making ice cubes comprising,

an ice cube tray movable between a filled position in said freezer compartment and a discharge position,

water supply means operative to supply water to said tray in the fill position thereof and including an electrically operated water valve adapted for connection to a water line,

electric power supply circuit means connected to said valve,

a timer switch interconnecting said circuit means and said valve,

a spring operated mechanical timer having a wound condition and an unwound condition and being connected to said timer switch to open and to close said timer switch in response to the condition of said timer,

said timer being operatively connected to said tray to be wound in response to movement of said tray from one of said tray positions to the other,

a timer brake solenoid in said circuit means and connected in parallel with said timer switch, switch means interconnecting said circuit means and said brake solenoid and operative in response to the position of said freezer door to energize and to deenergize said timer brake solenoid,

said timer brake solenoid being connected to said timer to maintain said timer in said wound condition in response to the position of said switch means.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said switch means comprises a double pole switch connecting alternatively said circuit means to said timer brake solenoid and said circuit means to said timer switch.

8. In a refrigerator having a freezer compartment and a door for the freezer compartment movable between open and closed positions, apparatus for making ice cubes comprising,

an ice cube tray movable between a fill position and a discharge position,

water supply means including an electrically operated water valve adapted for connection to a water line and operable to open when energized to supply water to said tray,

electric power supply circuit means connected to said valve,

first and second switch means connected in said circuit means and each operative to open said circuit means for de-energizing and closing said valve,

linkage means connected to said second switch means and responsive to movement of said tray from one to the other of its positions to close said second switch means,

said first switch means being responsive to the positioning of the freezer door to open when the door is open and to close when the door is closed, and timer means operatively connected to said first and to said second switch means and effective to open said second switch means after said first switch means has been closed for a predetermined interval of time.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,942,435 6/1960 Nelson 62233 2,969,654 1/1961 Harle 62-233 2,982,111 5/1961 Dahl 62-137 2,998,709 9/1961 Bauerlein a- 62137 X 3,027,731 4/1962 Lindenberg ct a1. 62-233 X o MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Examiner. 

8. IN A REFRIGERATOR HAVING A FREEZER COMPARTMENT AND A DOOR FOR THE FREEZER COMPARTMENT MOVABLE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, APPARATUS FOR MAKING ICE CUBES COMPRISING, AN ICE CUBE TRAY MOVABLE BETWEEN A FILL POSITION AND A DISCHARGE POSITION, WATER SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED WATER VALVE ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A WATER LINE AND OPERABLE TO OPEN WHEN ENERGIZED TO SUPPLY WATER TO SAID TRAY, ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE, FIRST AND SECOND SWITCH MEANS CONNNECTED IN SAID CIRCUIT MEANS AND EACH OPERATIVE TO OPEN SAID CIRCUIT MEANS FOR DE-ENERGIZING AND CLOSURE SAID VALVE, LINKAGE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS AND RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF ITS POSITIONS TO CLOSE SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS, SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE POSITIONING OF THE FREEZER DOOR TO OEPN WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN AND TO CLOSE WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND TIMER MEANS OPERATIVLEY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST AND TO SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS AND EFFECTIVE TO OPEN SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS AFTER SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR A PREDETERMINED INTERVAL OF TIME. 